Why won't my hair shave off after laser? | Skin Perfection (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my hair shave off after laser? | Skin Perfection? ›

Post-treatment, you may find hairs that seem stubborn and resistant to shaving. This is perfectly normal, and an important part of the shedding process. Remember, each hair on your body is at a different stage of growth. Which means multiple sessions may be necessary to capture each hair in its growth stage.

It might be that not enough time has passed post-treatment for the hair to shed. Or it could mean that the laser wasn't able to effectively target the hair follicles because it wasn't in the right growth phase yet, so the laser couldn't treat it.

The growth cycle is the reason why it could take between 6 and 8 sessions before the hair follicles have been destroyed. Each treatment area has its own unique growth cycle, and hair growth in the upper lip can be four weeks, and the cycle for the legs can take between 8 and 10 weeks.

There are a number of different internal factors that may be contributing to your results not progressing. Hormonal, hereditary and genetic factors influence your treatment outcome. Laser with can only treat hairs externally so there is a limit to what results we can achieve for people with underlying issues.

Patients may notice more hair 1 – 3 weeks after laser hair removal sessions as follicles in the growing cycle begin to shed. During this process, exfoliating the skin, once swelling and redness have dissipated, can help hairs shed faster, leaving skin feeling smoother.

If you feel like your hair isn't shedding at all, this could be due to a few factors. In some cases, the hair may be too light, the treatment intensity too low, or the hair might be in the wrong growth stage. Our laser hair removal experts can assess your progress and make necessary adjustments to your treatment.

Because laser treatments are only able to target hair follicles that are in their anagen phase, there will be a few remaining follicles that have yet to “wake up” and grow hair in the next few weeks, so don't be surprised to see some minor regrowth after your initial treatment.

It's extremely rare that laser doesn't work. Although it's known that while for some patients minimal amount of sessions are sufficient for others double the amount may be needed. This can even be the case with your own body, where one area will respond a lot quicker while other prove to be more stubborn.

Tips to Encourage Faster Shedding

Moisturising the Skin: Proper hydration of the skin can ease the shedding of hair. Opt for hypoallergenic and fragrance-free moisturisers that soothe without causing irritation. Avoiding Sun Exposure: The treated areas are particularly sensitive to UV rays post-laser.

You'll first see hair falling out of treated areas within a day or two. Soon after that, you'll notice smoother skin.

Why hasn't my laser hair removal worked? ›

While laser hair removal has proven to be a highly effective and popular method for reducing unwanted hair, it may not work equally well for everyone. Factors such as hair color, skin type, hormonal imbalances, and individual characteristics can influence the outcome of the treatment.

When laser hair removal goes wrong, that usually means the most severe side effects were experienced. This can be blistering, severe burns, scarring, scabbing, and bruising, some of which might even be permanent.

SHAVE THE DAY BEFORE A TREATMENT

The day before your laser hair removal treatment, it is a good idea to shave. This can be effective for a couple different reasons. For one thing, it makes it easier for the laser to get to your hair follicles because there is less of the hair remaining above the skin's surface.

If your laser hair treatments are not spaced optimally relative to your hair's growth cycles, then your laser treatments might not be affecting as many hair follicles as necessary for best results. Believe it or not, this is one of the top reasons why Laser hair removal isn't successful for people.

If you forget to shave, the effectiveness of your treatment may diminish. The laser, instead of focusing on the follicles, might target surface hair. This can lead to heightened discomfort, potential stinging, and a risk of burns. Surface impurities like dirt and oil can also reduce efficacy.

This is because the laser may damage the hair follicle even when it fails to destroy it. If a hair follicle is damaged but not destroyed, the hair will eventually regrow. It can be difficult to destroy every single hair follicle, so most people will see some hair regrowth.

Moisturise: Keep your skin hydrated with a high-quality, fragrance-free moisturiser. This makes it easier for the shedding hair to push through the skin. Avoid hair removal methods: Resist the temptation to use tweezers, wax, or other hair removal methods on the treated area.

5-19 Days Post-1st Treatment

The destroyed hair follicles eventually give-way and the hair begins to shed and fall. Clients can expect to see hair-thinning and patchiness; some areas may even appear completely hair-free.

After IPL hair removal

Any hair that does not fall out was either too fine, too light, too deeply rooted or possibly wasn't treated. After the hair falls out you should have a hair free period for approximately 3 to 6 weeks.